HONRIDS

Em Pasè

(Leri)

In a room with no furniture, everything echoes. So when someone took a step, I woke up. I couldn't see who it was, but they were coming in my direction. Right as they were walking past, I flung my leg to the side in an attempt to trip them. They stepped out of the way before pivoting over me and coming down, locking my arms between my body ad their thighs. As I was preparing to scream, a hand covered my mouth and sharp, cold, metal object was pressed against my throat. Why was I always the one to get in these situations?!

"I don't want to hurt you. However, if you scream, I won't hesitate to end your life." Said the figure straddling me. I recognized the voice immediately. It was the human.

"Now I'm going to take my hand off your mouth, but you have to promise not to scream, alright? Nod if you understand."

I nodded. I didn't really have a choice did I?

"Alright, now I'm going to ask a couple questions, you answer them as best you can. " He said in a commanding voice.

I felt the pressure over my mouth recede, but the weapon was still flush against my throat.

"What's your name?" He asked me.

Why the hell did he want to know that? I waited for a few seconds to see if he was joking.

"Well?" He said impatiently.

"Leri, my-my name is Leri." I stuttered, becoming more and more conscious of the blade at my neck.

"I have heard your voice before. Who are you?" He said angrily.

"I-I came to take m-my little sister to meet you today! Eva was her name, remember?" I begged, pleading he remembered us. He paused for a while, and for a second I thought he had forgotten.

"Ah, I remember you!" He said jokingly.

"I believe you may have forgotten something." I felt him press another small object to my cheek. Thats when I remembered. The hairpin. He slid it carefully into my hair before resuming his questioning. If it weren't for the situation, I would have blushed at what he had just done. Instead, I was terrified.

"Now, I should kill you. But I feel that that won't be necessary, so long as you can figure out a way to keep me alive. Although, unless you have a way to do it without me letting you out of my sights, I may say no. You have ten minutes before you become a hostage to aid in my escape."

I tried. I really did. But try as I might, I ran out of time.

"Ding ding ding, times up Leri." He said quietly.

"No, not yet! I haven't had enough time!" I begged, tears welling up in my eyes. He covered my mouth with his hand, and boy I cried. I was scared. The only time a human was allowed to be in a haven was if it was consort to an elf. Since business with humans was strictly forbidden, the only way in was through an intimate relationship. Then I realized that that was the only answer. I tapped my hand on the floor a couple times to signal I had something to say.

"Did you think of something?" He asked me suspiciously. I nodded vigorously. Before he removed his hand.

"Affectionate feelings are one of the most sacred things in our culture. If it seemed we were intimate with one another, you would not be killed." I said embarrassed.

"How do I know you won't just go back on your end of the deal?" He asked suspiciously.

"I swear on the great divines I will not!" I begged, knowing that know I couldn't go back on the deal, with gods as my witness. Suddenly there was a pounding at the door.

"Hey Leri! Is everything okay in there? I thought I heard some shouting!" It sounded like my older brother. What was he doing up at this hour? Past curfew no less. But at the moment I had more important matters.

"Be careful what you say." Jace whispered in my ear. I swallowed.

"I'm fine! Go back to your wife and child!" I hoped he would listen.

"Alright, alright. Just be careful." He said before walking off. A bright light suddenly was coming from a flashlight Jace was holding.

"Please don't point that at my face." I said wincing. It was quickly pointed around the room as he checked his surroundings.

"You live here?" He asked incredulously.

"Yes! In case you hadn't noticed, I'm only 18, so I haven't been able to salvage much from the surface yet! I only just got a med kit and blankets!" I said angrily.

"What about that basket over there?" He asked suspiciously.

"I don't know whats in it, it was a gift from my parents." I answered, hoping he would accept the truth.

"Fine." He said and I felt the pressure leave my waist.

"Just like that?" I was shocked.

"If you had wanted to, you could have easily tipped off a your friend by acting out of the ordinary. You didn't, so I'm going trust you. For now."

In other words, he would be watching my every move. My curiosity had been peaked, so I went over and opened the basket. Inside were a few old pipes, some gears, a couple thin sheets of metal, around 30 nails of various sizes, 8 screws, a swiss army knife, a flashlight, rechargeable batteries, and to top it all off, a kinetic energy generator! In my homes current state, these items were not only valuable, but lifelines. I went over to the door to make a lock using one of the pipes, but Jace stopped me and took the pipe.

"Hey!" What was his deal? He walked over to the basket and grinned.

"You can use anything to block the door. The items here can serve as a shower, generator, and a lamp all in one!" He said that with a huge grin.

"Your parents must really love you." When he said that, I thought I heard his tone change, but if it did, it went right back to normal. As I looked at the basket, I realized he was right! If the sheets of metal were folded, they could serve as a water wheel inside the pipes. The gears would allow for the kinetic energy generator to be hooked up to the water system, and the pipes could be used to pump the water all over my den.

"Oh." I said dumbly as he started to put it together. It shocked me that he was not worried about having just escaped.

"Shouldn't you like, hide or something?" I asked.

"There's no point. My only hope of survival is you, so really I have no choice but to stay here!" He said matter of factly.